


Book XIII: An Alternate Ending

by arcanathirst



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, The Lazaret (The Arcana)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 05:45:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16550060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcanathirst/pseuds/arcanathirst
Summary: Devs didn't give us a 'comfort Asra' option during the Lazaret scene so I decided to do it myself. First person, reader x Asra





	Book XIII: An Alternate Ending

**Author's Note:**

> The Lazaret scene hurt me but it hurt more NOT HAVING AN OPTION TO COMFORT MY POOR BBY. So here you go, a quick fix-it fic for my heart that I wrote immediately after the update (Sorry if it’s OOC or anything! I wrote this really quickly)

“You’re alive…” Asra said, the tears spilling down his cheeks.

The shock had worn off and now I moved forward, determined. I enveloped Asra in a hug.

“I don’t–I don’t blame you, alright?”

_You’re not at fault_ , I wanted to say, but no, that wasn’t quite true. Other people were hurt in the ritual. Not just me; Julian, Nadia, Lucio too, even if he did deserve it…

But Asra needed to know he wasn’t alone. He didn’t deserve to carry all this pain and suffering by himself.

“Thank you,” I managed to whisper at last. “Thank you for everything you’ve given me.”

Asra stepped back, not too far so I could still grip his arms. It seemed like he wanted to protest but his eyes searched for something in mine.

“Your love, your kindness—“ I placed my hand on his chest, “ _Your heart_. You’ve literally given me everything, Asra. At the very least, I could thank you.”

He opened his mouth, but I placed my finger on his lips before he could start.

“Whether it was the right choice… I can’t say for sure. I’m not sure if it’s my place to say either. I just know that I’m alive and grateful for that. Please, don’t blame yourself anymore. Not for what happened to me.”

Asra’s shoulders went limp and I jumped forward to catch him in my arms. His weight caused us both to stumble, but I managed to ease us into a sitting position.

His face buried in my shoulder, he began sobbing. Slowly, everything poured out of him: frustration, loneliness, despair, guilt.

I listened to him without interrupting. Every so often, he would say my name, and I would give him a squeeze, a peck on his forehead, soft gestures of affection.

Then he stopped. His movements were gentle as he pulled away to look at me, as if handling glass.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could tell you everything so freely. And at the Lazaret too of all places!”

“Fate works in the strangest of ways.” I grinned, hoping to encourage that smile.

His expression grew somber then and his eyes darted to the side. My name escaped his lips in a sigh, as if he would never say it again.

“I understand if your opinion of me has, changed. If you want to—” He inhaled sharply, “leave, I won’t stop you. There’s no need to feel indebted to me. Your life, it’s a gift, for you to use as you please.”

It took me a few moments to grasp what he was saying. When I did, I burst into laughter.

Asra’s eyes widened, caught off-guard.

I pulled him back into my arms, this time leaving enough space so we could still look at each other.

“After all you’ve done for me, you would just let me go?” I teased. “Oh, Asra…”

I lifted his hands and I could almost see them as they were the last time he was here. His skin would have been raw and painful, blood trickling from the cracks or crusting over. There would have been sand everywhere as well, further agitating his wounds.

That was only the tip of the pain Asra had gone through. These last three years alone…

As gently as I could, I began to kiss his fingers one by one.

He gasped.

“Don’t think I’m doing this out of guilt.” _Kiss_. “Or some misplaced sense of responsibility.” _Kiss_. “What you did for me was out of love, just like what I’m doing now.” Last of all, I kissed his pinky.

Tears had formed in his eyes again. His voice was low enough that I had to strain my ears to catch the single word he uttered, “Really?”

“Yes. I love you, Asra, and that hasn’t changed. Not even a little bit.” Now I was crying as well.

He laughed in between his tears. The sound made my heart soar in my chest.

“What did I do to deserve you?” He cupped my face in his hands. “Would you mind if I kissed you?”

“Of course not.” His lips met mine, and for a while, we were simply kissing, so close that our tears were mingling together.

Once we broke apart, we exchanged a glance, and we smiled at the same time. The heavy shadow the Lazaret cast felt light as a feather now, for both of us.

“I’m glad we came,” Asra whispered, helping me to my feet.

“Me too.” I wrapped my right arm around his body and gave him a squeeze.

Asra stole one last kiss from me, before we finally made our way back to the gondola and away from the Lazaret.


End file.
